


Tired of waiting

by LetoaSai



Series: Slayer Bound [1]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Hand Jobs, Love Confessions, M/M, Mates, Mutual Pining, Post-War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-29
Updated: 2018-11-29
Packaged: 2019-09-02 08:50:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16783666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LetoaSai/pseuds/LetoaSai
Summary: They both were well aware of what the other meant to them, but still they insisted on dancing around each other. Exhaustion finally had one of them snapping until confessions were dragged out.





	Tired of waiting

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail  
> Took total liberties with Natsu's age since (ignoring the 400 year thing) it's anyone's guess.

The knock on the door was deceivingly light, hardly foretelling the real emotion behind it at all. Magnolia was still in a shambles, much of Fiore was. It had been two weeks after the Alvarez Empire had been defeated. Two weeks since the guilds had come together to defend their homes and country. 

The war had been brutal, but they’d prevailed. Zeref was gone and Natsu was no longer E.N.D. Now he was just Natsu. 

The clean up had gone into full effect and the guilds were helping rebuild everything that had been destroyed. Everyone had been working practically nonstop and it had left very little time for anything else. Every member of Fairy Tail had been exhausted after the war and the reconstruction efforts hadn’t helped much. They were all at the end of their rope. 

Patience was left in tatters and control was slipping. That loss of control was how Natsu wound up at Gray’s door just after dinner. 

“You actually knocked?” Gray was already speaking before he’d even opened the door, knowing full well that Natsu’s hearing would pick up on it. He opened the door and found Natsu leaning against the doorframe, his forehead resting the wood. 

“Knocking’s polite,” He muttered, eyes closed. 

“And you’ve always been polite,” Gray snorted, stepping back to allow Natsu in. “What are you doing here, Natsu?” 

“You know damn well why i’m here,” Natsu muttered, kicking the door shut behind him. “I’m tired.” 

Gray rolled his eyes, “You and everyone else, Ashes.” When Natsu growled in response, Gray felt shivers shoot up his spine and back down again. He could smell Natsu; what he’d had for dinner, his exhaustion, his lust. He didn’t even know those last two things had a smell until recently. 

It had taken him a great deal of time to adjust to his new Devil Slayer abilities. He’d foolishly assumed it had only given him an increase of magic, but after months he realized all the little ways it was changing him. His senses were heightened in ways he didn’t always appreciate. Sight had been pretty cool and hearing had been decently useful but smell had been confusing. It wasn’t just a barrage of good and bad smells, but hundreds more he didn’t even have a name for. He could smell when someone was irritable. He could smell when they were horny. He could smell when someone wasn’t being a hundred percent truthful. 

This was what life had always been like for Natsu and the other Dragon Slayers. There was so much to get used to. 

He hadn’t much noticed the changes-if any-after Tartaros. They were too new and still merging with his body, but that year the guild had spent apart had taught him a lot. Seeing Natsu again after a year had shifted something in him. It moved something that was always in him to the forefront. It all started with that smell. 

“Gray.” 

Gray shuddered again but didn’t look back at Natsu, just continued walking into his apartment to collapse on his couch. The same couch he’d been sleeping on since his apartment building hadn’t come out of the war unscathed and several large holes now decorated his bedroom. “You ever stop to think that maybe i’m tired too?” 

“I know you are,” Natsu agreed, his voice so close that Gray had to finally glance up to see where he was. He hadn’t heard him follow him into the room, but there he was, just next to the couch. 

“Then i repeat, what are you doing here?” 

“We waited,” Natsu said softly. “We waited for the Alvarez Empire to fuck off. We waited for Zeref to get out of the way. We waited for E.N.D. to die, and he has.” Gray winced and said nothing. It had been hard to learn that Natsu was the demon he had sworn to kill but Natsu was Natsu and the demon in him never stood a chance. “That thing is dead but i’m still here.” 

Gray sighed quietly, not sure where he was supposed to look. This wasn’t like him at all. Gray had never shied away from a challenge and he sure as hell never backed down from Natsu. “And?” 

It was Natsu’s turn to sigh. “And i’m tired, Gray. You’ve been waiting for a few months but i’ve been waiting for years. The second i saw you pretending to be a dark mage for Avatar, i knew we were finally on the same page.” 

Gray leaned forward to rub his eyes. “I’m more sleepy than i thought. What the hell are you talking about?” 

“We’re mates.”

Gray felt the throbbing in his head and all he wanted to do was sleep. The statement didn’t surprise him, but he wished it had. Natsu smelled so good and he’d thought about the flame-brained idiot often during their year apart. Hell, he hadn’t given it a second thought until Juvia had told him he was pining. After that, too many sneaky thoughts had drifted across his mind. 

“What did that mean?” Gray muttered, fingers still trying to massage out the tension from his eyes and forehead. “That you’ve waited years?” 

There wasn’t an answer for a moment and Natsu knelt down in front of Gray, resting his arms on Gray’s knees to peer up at his face. “Dragon Slayers can recognize their mates once puberty has kicked in and settled some. I was fourteen when i thought you could be my mate. Fifteen when i was sure.” 

Gray felt his throat tighten, “You never said.” 

“Normal humans don’t understand things like mates. So no, i didn’t. I liked you as my best friend and my rival and the thorn in my side. I wasn’t going to bring it up until later. Like humans, dragons are seen as adults around eighteen. I was going to mention it then, but then we had the seven year thing, and then we went on break. Then we finally reunite and Zeref fucking shows up. So here i am, nineteen...ish... and haven’t been able to broach the subject.” 

Gray felt the rest of his body tighten along with his throat. “I guess you’ve officially brought it up now.” 

“Your turn.” 

Gray looked down at Natsu, feeling oddly cornered. It wasn’t like Natsu had him pinned or anything, but he had little doubt he would be if he tried to move. “Mine?” 

Natsu nodded, but a serious Natsu was a strange one. “I was prepared once to try my best to explain to you what it was that i felt. The pull and the urges. The unreasonable knowledge that you were the one for me, but it’s different now. You inherited Devil Slayer magic. I thought maybe you could understand those feelings now. So, it’s your turn.” 

There was a silence between them, but Natsu didn’t seem to mind. He remained calm while Gray mauled over what to say. It took the ice mage a little longer to realize that he wasn’t really thinking about his feelings at all and was instead simply staring at Natsu. 

“I’m seriously confused.” 

Natsu nodded slowly but let him continue. 

“I should be pissed off, or at least annoyed. I just wanted to go to bed but you came in here talking about us being mates and that you’ve known all this time. I’m not angry though, and not even sure if i’m surprised. I don’t know what i am.” 

“That’s okay.” 

“You’re acting strange. Patient. You’re touching me when we’re not fighting. I don’t know what to do with that.” 

Natsu finally cracked a small smile. “Sorry, but this is important. Approaching your mate is serious and i just can’t risk fucking this up by acting like an idiot.” 

“Weird,” Gray grumbled but was able to relax a little more. “I swear i don’t know what i’m feeling, but it revolves around you. You…” 

Natsu poked Gray’s knee, a nudge to keep talking when he’d stopped mid thought. “What about me?” 

“You smell good,” Gray sighed after forcing the words out that embarrassed him. “I never noticed before.” 

“Part of the magic,” Natsu nodded in complete understanding. “Regular people can’t smell like we can. You smell good too.” He leaned forward into Gray’s personal space, his nose nearly touching Gray’s bare chest as he inhaled. “Really good.” 

Gray felt hot, body tingling. “Don’t sniff me!” 

Natsu chuckled. “Why not? You’ve obviously been sniffing me. It just got better, you know? Tends to when you’re turned on.” 

“Shut up,” Gray’s face went hot. He wasn’t like this with anyone else. He’d been with other people before and hadn’t felt the least bit flustered. Something about Natsu was different. “Just shut up.” 

“You already know i’m for you. You’re body does at least. You just need some time for you brain to catch up.” Natsu mused. “If you need more time i’ll give you more time, but fuck if i’m not tired of waiting. I’m tired of going without you. Of being without you.” 

Gray scowled, “Don’t go all mushy on me now.” He reached out hesitantly, brushing his fingers against Natsu’s pink locks. He nearly jerked his hand back when Natsu tilted his head to nuzzle into his hand but kept himself from backing down. “There so much of myself i’m still trying to figure out.”

“Like what?” Natsu asked, eyes sliding shut as Gray fingers kneaded into his scalp. “Talk to me about it. Maybe that’ll help.”

It was so ridiculous that Gray wanted to argue, but it was hard. His mix of emotions was something Natsu probably could understand. “That magic wasn’t that difficult to get used to. It was powerful, but with practice i got the hang of it. It took a couple months, but i’m comfortable with it now.” 

“I’ll say you do. I took a few punches from you.” 

Gray scowled, irritated by the thought. He’d been blinded by absolute grief at the thought of Natsu being the demon he swore to slay. Natsu losing himself to a demon had been too much to handle. 

“I’m...sorry,” Gray mumbled. 

“Shut it,” Natsu said, a serenely fitted smile in place. Only Natsu could have such a look over such a serious situation. “I almost turned into a demon and lost myself in the process. You know i never would have wanted that.” 

“I never wanted to kill you,” 

Natsu blinked up at him. “It doesn’t matter now. Demon me you could have killed no problem. Normal me? No way.” 

“Ass,” Gray grinned. “I could kick your ass any time i want.” 

“So you say, Snowflake.” Natsu laughed. “You sure are good at avoiding your feelings.” 

“I don’t want to hear that from you.” Gray said and nearly pouted when Natsu remained silent. The expectant look on his face was enough to tell Gray what he waited for. “Jeez, fine.” He tried to pull his legs up onto the couch under him but Natsu didn’t allow it. He kept leaning on Gray’s legs, refusing to let him move. 

“Talk,” 

Gray made a face and kicked at Natsu weakly. “I’m fine being a Devil Slayer, but everything about you has become fucking annoying.” 

“Ouch. What kinds of things?” 

“Just things i’ve noticed,” Gray grumbled, looking away. 

“What kinds of things?” 

“Natsu! Damn it!” He tried to pull away a second time but Natsu wouldn’t move. “Are you seriously going to make me do this?” 

“Yes. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. You already know i’ve had feelings for you for a long time.” 

Gray groaned and leaned his head back against the couch. He could have kicked Natsu off of him but that would have caused a fight and extended this damn conversation. “Everything,” 

Natsu hummed, sounding distinctly amused. “Such as? Beyond my scent.” 

“That’s a lot of it. I don’t know how to notice someone smelling good. From close up, sure but from a distance? So annoying.” Gray muttered. “I notice every time you raise your voice. Like i’m actually stopping to determine if it’s out of anger or excitement or whatever. Don’t know why.” 

“Because if i’m happy, then you’re happy. If i’m angry, you want to know why. Is there a threat? Has someone pissed me off? Is there some kind of problem you could help fix?” 

“And you know that how?” 

Natsu smiled, “Because i’ve been doing it for years with you. Judging your tone to help tell me what you were feeling.” 

Gray huffed, “This is so fucking confusing. I gotta deal with your smell and voice all the time. I can practically taste your magic. It’s like fire on my tongue.” 

“That’s one of my favorite parts.” Natsu purred, lazy grin in place. “Cold is only nice when it comes from you.” 

“I don’t know how to take you being soft and mushy instead of loud and obnoxious. Stop it.” Gray snapped. “I know how to handle you when you’re annoying. I don’t want you to be different. I have enough problems without having to relearn how to be around you and deal with useless jealousy and always-” 

“Jealousy?” Natsu interrupted. “Who are you jealous of?” 

Gray actually felt his face heat up, “No one.”

With a patient sigh, Natsu moved finally and crawled into Gray’s lap. He straddled his waist and ignored Gray’s startled yelp. “You’re gonna explain that one to me Gray,” 

“I don’t have to do anything,” Gray muttered, frantically willing himself to not get an erection. It was proving to be ridiculously hard when so many recent fantasies began with Natsu on top of him. 

Natsu growled low, the gentle threat making Gray shiver and shatter his endeavor of resisting an erection. “I have to deal with Juvia, Gray. I have to deal with her throwing herself at you and clinging to what’s supposed to be mine. I’ve had to quietly cope while you slept around with Cana for a year. I got to fucking say nothing while you had some weird friends with benefits thing with Loke. Considering i’ve never fucked anyone i truly doubt you know anything about jealousy.” He slid his fingers into Gray’s hair and tightened his hold. “So elaborate.” 

There was a moment when Gray realized he needed to catch his breath. He didn’t know when that happened but it was definitely surprising. 

“I…” 

“Go on.” 

“Lucy,” Gray muttered. “You and Lucy are always together. You practically live with her.”

Natsu blinked, “That’s stupid.” 

“And true. Half of the guild has a bet going as to which of you will confess first.” 

Gray didn’t know what he had expected Natsu’s response to that to be but he got a growl that sounded particularly vicious. “And i bet Gajeel and Wendy aren’t apart of it because they know better!” Natsu snapped, that exhaustion he’d walked in with rearing its head again. “What about you? Where were you in that stupid betting pool?” 

“I stayed out of it,” Gray muttered. “Hurt to think about.” 

Natsu softened at t hat, resting his forehead against Gray’s. “There’s nothing going on between me and Lucy. Use that new sense of smell of yours.” 

“Knowing what i know logically and what it seems like are different.” Gray said, practically forced to look Natsu in the eye. “Lisanna’s in love with you.” 

“Will that fucking haunt me forever?” Natsu scowled. “We were children. She was gone long before the notion of even looking for my mate had surfaced. It was never her. She’s clinging to a childhood memory, nothing more.” 

Gray sighed, knowing Natsu wouldn’t like his next comment. “Only because Lisanna thinks you’re in love with Lucy too.” 

Natsu’s eyes cut into slits, “Then we’ll just have to fucking tell the entire guild who i am in love with.” 

“You’re being ridiculous. So i suppose you’re much more like yourself.” Gray said, dropping his gaze to stare at Natsu’s chest rather than his face. He could hardly handle looking at his face. He wasn’t afraid, he’d never been afraid of Natsu but he was definitely something… 

Gray could feel both of their magics prickling against his skin. When Natsu growled softly again, his breath hitched in his throat. Without his notice, his Devil Slayer marks appeared, the jagged black design covering half of his body. 

“Stop…” Gray muttered, barely recognizing his own voice. The one thing he was very aware of were the red scales scattering across Natsu’s chest and arms. He he no doubt that if he looked up, his face would be equally covered. 

“Are you talking to me or yourself?” Natsu asked, his voice rough. He rocked his hips once and Gray gasped, gripping Natsu’s hips when he didn’t seem to know what else to do with his hands. “We’ve waited so long, Gray.” 

“I just...I don’t…” Gray panted, trying to make this thoughts connect properly. “A mate is like, permanent, isn’t it?” 

“Very,” Natsu said, his fingers lightly trailing up Gray’s chest only to tease back down again. “I think it’s easier for you to understand now than it would have been before. We’re possessive.” 

Gray tried to scoff but it was hard with the heat filling his body. He was losing the mental battle and was finally willing to admit-at lease to himself- that he wanted Natsu to touch him. “Possessive?I’m not-” 

“You went to go take on Zeref,” Natsu interrupted. “You knew i wanted him dead. You knew what he was capable of. Why did you do it?” 

“He was a dark wizard who was attacking our home, do i need more of a reason?” 

“You faked using an ice shield.” 

“You hit me last time i tried…” 

Natsu smiled faintly, “Yes, i did. Look at me,” Natsu said quietly, his voice somewhere between a plea and a demand.

“This is the shit i don’t understand,” Gray muttered, eyes sliding shut in defiance. “You tell me to look at you and i feel like it’s a fucking command. Like i have to. That’s not us. You don’t demand shit and you definitely don’t expect me to listen. Butting heads is how we’ve always communicated, but…” 

“But?” 

Gray swallowed, “But your voice does this thing and your stupid smell is literally on me now. I don’t want to change, but fuck if i don’t want to do what you say.”

The hand in Gray’s hair tightened but Natsu’s free hand came up to brush against his cheek. “I know. Look at me.”

With a noise that conveyed his internal struggle, Gray opened his eyes to look at Natsu again. Those pretty red scales painted his cheeks just like he thought they would. 

“Snowflake, it’s because you’re tired.” Natsu explained. “It doesn’t mean we won’t live to bicker another day.” 

“Tried?” Gray repeated. “What does that have to do with anything?” 

Natsu leaned forward, pressing his forehead against Gray’s and inhaling his soothing scent. “I’m tired, and cranky. All i want to do is bask in the comfort of my mates presence and you’re being a pain in my ass. It’s making me go all snappy and dominant on you.” He leaned down to press a feather light kiss to Gray’s lips. “But i fucking promised myself i would give you time and answer your questions and stuff. I know you’re still working it out.” 

Gray shifted, not sure if he liked Natsu supposedly being the dominant one. He was undecided. “And me?” 

“You’re also tired. Tired and confused and dealing with so many changes that you’ve hit your fuck it point. You know i’m your mate, and your exhausted body is just willing to let me take care of you. Your instincts tell you to listen to me because you trust me to protect you until you are at a hundred percent again.” Natsu smiled faintly and kissed Gray again to watch his flustered expression. “Tomorrow i might snap at you and you’ll feel like snapping back. We’re allowed to change. The point is, i’m yours and you’re mine. Tonight, you just feel like listening to me.” 

Gray shuddered, the explanation making him feel so much better. Frankly it was ridiculous that so much sense could come from Natsu. “So this...isn’t going to change us?” 

The hand still in Gray’s hair went back to massaging his scalp gently. “I’ll bet we’ll be arguing by breakfast.” Natsu’s smile was warm and Gray could have broken down right there. 

“Thank god,” Gray muttered, leaning forward to cling to Natsu. His arms wrapped around him tightly and he damn near purred at the grip in his hair he loved so much. “I didn’t want us to be different.” 

“We’re not. I’ve always loved you, remember?” Natsu kissed the top of his head and rocked his hips a little harder until Gray gasped beneath him. 

“Natsu!” 

“You smell good,” Natsu hummed, tilting Gray’s head back to look him in the eye. “I love you, and when you’re ready, i’m going to mate the hell out of you. Please don’t make me wait another year.” 

Gray hissed, between the hair pulling and the erection grinding into his own, he didn’t think it would take long. “Could maybe be persuaded. You plan to fuck me, don’t you?” 

“Eventually. Yes.” 

“Who decided you got to be on top?” Gray said, nearly yelping when Natsu reached down between their bodies to stroke him through his boxers. 

“I called dibs. I’ve waited years, and i’ve had to put up with your drama. I get to go first.” Natsu said, his tone saying he would accept no argument over it. He leaned closer and nipped at Gray’s ear. “You can fuck me after.” 

Gray breathed out a moan, his body telling his mind to shut the fuck up and let the dragon touch. “Natsu…” 

“That’s what i want to hear,” Natsu growled. Every noise pulled from Gray was its own victory and sent Natsu’s instincts into overdrive. 

“Damn it, Natsu. Damn it!” Gray panted, shifting enough to somehow pull his boxers off with Natsu still on top of him. “Touch…”

“I'm gonna,” Natsu muttered, shoving his own pants down his thighs to be able to grind his cock against Grays. There was no finesse to the movement, just a frantic need to get off. Being able to cling to the other while their hips gyrated took them from zero to a hundred in seconds. It was what they’d each been longing for whether they were ready to admit it or not. 

“Natsu. Natsu.” Gray was reduced to begging and in a last effort to gain some control, reached up to cup Natsu’s face and kissed him. Their mouths slanting together in their first deep kiss had them both coming across the others chest. The dizzying release left them sluggish and happy to stay pressed against the other. 

“Gray,” Natsu mumbled, sounding sated and friendly. He nuzzled his nose against Gray’s throat, pressing his tongue against his adam's apple before pulling away. “So good.” 

“Yeah,” Gray mumbled, his exhaustion doubling. “Are you gonna stay?” 

“Do you want me to?” 

Gray blinked up at Natsu sleepily. “Yes.” 

“Good, i wasn’t going anywhere.” Natsu said, nuzzling against Gray gently. “You want to go to bed?” 

“My rooms fucked up. Sleep here.” Gray said, falling over onto his side and dragging Natsu along with him. “Clean up later.” 

Natsu chuckled, grabbing the blanket that had fallen onto the floor to drape over them. “We’d just need another shower in the morning anyway.” 

Gray shivered and buried his face into his pillow. “Shut up and sleep.” 

“Yes mate.” Natsu said, kissing Gray’s shoulder before cuddling up against him for the night.


End file.
